DIOTIS MARITIMA. SEA-SIDE COTTONWEED.
D IO T IS maritima.
D IO T IS maritima. Cassini in Diet, des Sciences N atur, ml. 3. p . 295.
D IO T IS candidissima. Desfont. Fl. A il. ml. 2. p. 261. Decand. Fl. Fr. ed. 3. ml. 4. p. 201.
FI. Gall. Syn. p. 290.
SANTO L IN A maritima. Linn. M S S . in Sp. PI. p. 1182. (fid. Sm. ) Huds. Angl. p . 356. With.
Bot. A r r . ed. 4. ml. 3. p. 6 9 1. Smith F l. B r it. p . 860. Engl. Bot. t. 141. Willd. bp.
PI. ml. 3. p . 1799. Aiton Hort. Kew. ed. 2. ml. 4. p. 518. Pet's. Syn. P I. ml. 2. p . 406.
ATHANASIA maritima. Linn. Sp. PI. p. 1182.
F ILAGO maritima. Linn. Sp. PL ed. l.p . 927.
G N A PH A L IUM legitimum. Gcertn. de Fruct. ml. 2. p. 391. t. 165.
G N A PH A L IUM maritimum. Sea Cudweed or Cottonweed. R aii Syn. p. 180.
Welsh. Llwyd boneddig.
Class a n d Order. SY N G EN E S IA POLYGAMIA jEQUALIS.
[N a t. Ord , CORYMBIFERIE, J uss. COMPOSITjE, Decand., Hook. SYNANTHEREIE, Trih.
A N TH EM ID E rE , Cassini.']
Gen . Char. Involucrum hemisphmricum, imbricatum squamis oblongis adpressis. Flores flosculosi omnes her-
maphroditi, uniformes, tubulosi, quinquedcnlati, medio angustati, inferne compressi, dilatati, basi biappendicu-
lati; appendicibus utrinque germini admotis. Pappus nullus. Receptaculum convexum, paleaceum. VesJ.
Ge n . Char. Involucre hemispherical, imbricated with oblong appressed scales. Florets tabular, all henna-
phrodite, uniform, five-toothed, contracted in the middle, compressed below, dilated with two appendages at the
base, which are applied to each side of the germen. Pappus none. Receptacle convex, chaffy. Desj.
Radix subflagelliformis, longissime descendens, lignosa,
ramosa, fusca.
Tota herba tomento candido densissime obsita.
CaüLES numerosi ex eadem radice, basi saspissime sub-
procumbentes, dein erecti, vix pedales, teretes,
versus apicem subramosi.
Folia numerosa, alterna, patentia, subimbricata, oblon-
ga, obtuSa, supra plana, subtus convexa, sessilia,
margine crenulata.
Flores terminales, corymbosi, aurei; Pedunculi foliosi.
InvolüCRüM hemisphffiricum, vel fere exacte sphasri-
cum, squamosum, foliolis arete imbricatis, ova-
tis, extus tomentosis, intus nitidis.
Floscoli numerosi, omnes tubulosi, vix involucro lon-
giores, apice quinquedentati, basi compressi,
utrinque ad marginem germinis insigniter pro-
ducti.
Stamina quinque; Anthene oblongce, apice appendi-
culatte, marginibus unitis.
Germen, ob corollulse productionem, semi-inferum,
oblongum, sulcatum ; Stylus longitudine tubi;
Stigma longe bifidum, laciniis linearibus, intus
canaliculatis, apicibus pilosis.
Receptaculum hemisphtericum, paleaceum, paleis oblongis
apice lanatis.
Pericarpia ([Semina auctorum) imperfecta, oblonga,
curvata, basi corollulse persistente indurata ob-
tecta.
Root somewhat flagelliform, descending deep into the
earth, woody, branched, brown.
T he whole herb is covered with a very thick white
down.
Stems numerous from the same root, often procumbent
at the base, then erect, scarcely a foot high,
rounded, branched towards the extremity.
Leaves numerous, alternate, patent, subimbricated, ob-
lono-, obtuse, plane above, convex beneath, sessile,
crenulated at the margin.
Flowers terminal, corymbose, deep yellow; Peduncles
Involucre hemispherical, or almost entirely spherical,
scaly, with the leaflets closely imbricated,
ovate, externally downy, internally shining.
Florets numerous, all tubular, scarcely longer than
the involucre, five-toothed at the apex, compressed
at the base, and remarkably produced on each
side along the margin of the germen.
Stamens five; Anthers oblong, with an appendage at
the extremity, united at the margins.
Germen, on account of the production of the corolla,
half inferior, oblong, furrowed; Style as long as
the tube; Stigma deeply bifid, with the segments
linear, grooved within, the extremities hairy.
Receptacle hemispherical, chaffy, with ihe scales Ob'
long, woolly at the apex.
Pericarps (Seeds o i authors) imperfect, oblong, curved,
covered with the persistent hardened base of the
corolla. ..
Fin 1. Flower cut through vertically. Fig. 3. Part of the involucre, with the receptacle from which the chaffy
scales and the florets hive been removed. Fig. 3. Scale with its floret F,g. 4. Floret cut open to show he
stamen and pistil. Fig. 5. P a rt of the style and stigma. Fig. 6. Imperfect pericarps covered by the indurated
and produced bases of the corolla.— all more or less magnified.
Linnteus, in the first edition of his Species Vtmtarum, called this plant . Filago maritime ; in the last edition of
the same work, he altered the genus to Athanasia; and finally, in the MS. in his own copy of the work now
mentioned, he removed it to Santolina, in which situation Sir James Smith and all other British authora have retained
it Tournefort and GmrUier considered this plant to be the true anneal Gnaphalum, (from « -
mention) and as such have both figured it admirably, representing the curious structure of the base of the corolla,
and iB prolongation down the side! of the germen. In this particular the species under consideration differs essentially
imm°Santolina, Athanasia, and Filago; and the appellation of Gnaphaltum having by common consent
been given to a very different genus of plants, M. Desfontaines, preserving the character giveu by Tournefort and
Gfertner to our plant, has merely altered the name of the genus to Diotis, from bis, and ovg, utos, auris, n
“ o Z r l t ^ ^ E S ^ S s c o v e r e d , and this is chiefly a native of the southern shores of
Europe, and the North of Africa. In Britain it is rare, or at least confined to but few spots, where it is, however,
generally found in great profusion. Abermenni Ferry, Anglesea, and gravelly shores between Penzancerand St.
Michaels Mount, Cornwall, are habitats mentioned by Ray. Besides these, it grows
Dorsetshire; in the Isle of Sheppey, Kent; a t Landguard Fort, Aldborough Orford, and Dunwick, Suffolk at
which latter spot, as indicated to me by my friend D. E. Davey, esq. of the Grove, Yoxford, I gathered the pre-
86 The first In d last of these stations are the most northerly parts of Britain at which the Diotis has been discovered
; but, plentifully as it occurs in Suffolk, I have never been able to find that any of the seeds had come to
perfection.
I t flowers in August and September. ____ / rx.
This plant yields a rather powerful aromatic scent, which Sir James Smith compares to that of Costmary (Ya-
nacetum Balsamita); and upon the authority o f Labillardtere, Desfontaines says, “ In Onente ejus infusio ad cal-
culos renum et vesicce expellendos felici cum successu adhibetur.”
I do not see that Desfontaines has any sufficient reason for altering the specific as well as generic name of this
plant; and as the old term of maritima is full as applicable as that of candidissima, I retain it, considering that
such changes, except when absolutely necessary, cannot be too much avoided.